The difference between boys' and girls' anime

[silverthunder]

How to tell whether an anime love story is targeted mainly at boys or mainly at girls

The hero of the story is...
BOYS: More or less average, uninteresting and/or prone to perverted thoughts. Nice enough usually, but nothing special.
GIRLS: Drop-dead gorgeous and almost always compassionate and caring somehow. Usually has some hidden angst.

The heroine of the story is...
BOYS: One of several extremely hot girls, either very shy and sweet or spirited with a quick temper.
GIRLS: Generally an ordinary girl but there's usually something special about her (ie, makes insightful comments or does silly but sweet things that melt everyone's hearts). Occasionally a guy.

The supporting cast is...
BOYS: Comprised mainly of hot girls.
GIRLS: Comprised either mainly of dreamy guys or supportive girls who aide the heroine and often end up finding true love themselves before the end.

The LOVE action consists mainly of...
BOYS: Sex, or things sex-related.
GIRLS: True love, or cuddly warm happy feelings.

Romantic complications/triangles are usually...
BOYS: All the girls love the one guy, or they hate each other at first because she thinks he's nothing but a pervert. Or both.
GIRLS: They usually don't understand each other at first, and/or there is competition of some sort but everyone is very warm/sincere/angsty about his/her feelings.

The plot is generally...
BOYS: Compromising situation after compromising situation, leading to tension between the hero and heroine and eventually love.
GIRLS: The heroine uncovers the hidden angst and/or compassionate side of the hero (or the other way around) which leads to true love.

Side romances may be...
BOYS: Het. Sometimes a little girl/girl action, but it's usually just superficial.
GIRLS: Het, yaoi, yuri, whatever - as long as it's pretty.

The genre most often tends to include...
BOYS: Comedy and/or Ecchi.
GIRLS: Romance and/or Drama.


Not to say there aren't exceptions... I just call 'em like I see 'em.

Comments

[naatz.livejournal.com]

Dude. I wonder where Naruto is in there. *torn between the two*

|Meduza|

[silverthunder]

Naruto is not a love story. :P Goof.

[naatz.livejournal.com]

But it fits!!!

|Meduza|

[silverthunder]

Not really. XD The plot of love stories revolves around the two main characters and how they get together and/or shape their relationship. Naruto doesn't fit either of the plot elements I listed because it's about ninjas, fighting, and friendship (or something like that, I haven't really seen much of Naruto). As with most other shounen anime, any romance that there may be is pretty well just background noise.

The fanfic, on the other hand, might fit. :P

[naatz.livejournal.com]

That's because you haven't accepted the Naruto/Sasuke! O_O

BTW -- how are you doing? :) {not to say I don't read here. I do.}

|Meduza|

[silverthunder]

I'm doing good. :) How about you?

Naruto/Sasuke is still fanfic only to me unless I hear that the series has confirmed it :P (and believe me, I would hear about it - I think the WORLD would hear about that if it happened). But I still wouldn't call Naruto a love story, 'cause even that romance would take background stage to the rest of the plot.

[nighteevee.livejournal.com]

So... there are worse things than Love Hina around? But I'd take that over the Akane Tendo stereotype which seems to recurr as the love interest of most heroes of non-romantic shoune.

[silverthunder]

Yup, there are worse things that Love Hina around. Imagine a Love Hina-like scenario with an Akane Tendo stereotype as the main love interest. >_> They are out there...

Also, not all of the shows that follow these stereotypes are necessarily bad. There are only so many original ideas floating around out there, but every now and then someone gives one a fresh twist and makes it fun.